WEBVTT UNIVER SITY OF KENTUCKY. IT'S THE FIRST LEGAL HEMP CROP IN DECADES. W-L-K-Y'S MARK VANDERHOFF WENT TO LEXINGTON TO GET A LOOK AT WHAT SOME SAY IS THE FUTURE CASH CROP. Mark Vanderhoff: This is a harvested hemp plant, and researchers and farmers here today say if it can grow as well as it did here at UK's research farm, the state might have a new cash crop. David Williams: It's really not horribly unlike making hay, and all the farmers in central Kentucky are well accustomed to making some of the best hay on the planet. IT COULD BE THAT SIMPLE. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCHER DAVID WILLIAMS PLANTED THIS CROP OF HEMP ON MAY 27. TUESDAY MORNING, THEY CUT THE PLANTS TO DRY. WILLIAMS SAYS THIS PARTICULAR PATCH GREW VERY WELL WITHOUT IRRIGATION, HERBICIDES OR PESTICIDES. David Williams: We didn't have any issues at all. We had a very good growing season and we're very happy with the results. HEMP CAN BE USED FOR CLOTH, FOOD, OIL AND MEDICINE. THIS PATCH WAS BEING GROWN FOR FIBER. 13 VARIETIES WERE GROWN AT U-K.. NOT ALL DID AS WELL BUT OVERALL RESEARCHERS WERE PLEASED. DOZENS OF FARMERS INTERESTED IN GROWING HEMP THEMSELVES TURNED OUT TO SEE HOW IT DID. Terry Sutton: This is something that should have been done years ago. TERRY SUTTON IS A RETIRED MILITARY VETERAN FROM FRANKFORT WHO WANTS TO GROW HEMP. HE WAS HAPPY TO SEE THE PLANTS GREW WELL. HIS FAMILY ONCE GREW TOBACCO TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME... AND HE BELIEVES HEMP CAN DO THE SAME. Terry Sutton: And it's going to benefit the whole state of Kentucky. BASED ON WHAT WILLIAMS HAS SEEN AT U-K THIS YEAR, HE BELIEVES THAT'S POSSIBLE. David Williams: There is a great possibility that it could become a viable crop in Kentucky. It's not the most complicated plant to grow for farmers. I think they would pick up on it immediately. Mark Vanderhoff: This plant is being grown at pilot projects across the state and in December, farmers and researchers will get together to exchange what they've learned. In Lexington, Mark Vanderhoff, WLKY News. HEMP IS STILL ILLEGAL TO GROW IN KENTUCKY. THIS YEAR'S HEMP CROPS WERE PART OF A PILOT PROJECT APPROVED BY FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS. MORE CROPS WILL BE GROWN NEXT YEAR AS PART OF THAT PROGRAM.